| Abstract: |
Four sites in the Thames and Kennet valleys (from Mesolithic to Romano-British) are discussed, beginning with `Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement at Weir Bank Stud Farm, Bray' (1--51) by I Barnes & R M J Cleal. Archaeological evaluation ahead of gravel extraction on the Thames floodplain identified Middle Bronze Age occupation represented by ditches, mostly part of a field system associated with small areas of occupation. A triple-ditch feature also contained MBA pottery and other material. A roundhouse and other features were apparently a late stage of use, perhaps after the field system had been abandoned. There was small-scale use during the Neolithic and Late Iron Age/Romano-British periods. C Cox contributes `Aerial photographic assessment' (3--6). Specialist reports on finds are: `Flint' (21--4) and `Stone' (24--5, microfiche) by R Montague; `Burnt flint' (24) by I Barnes & R M J Cleal; `Pottery' (25--33, microfiche) by R M J Cleal; `Fired clay' (33--4, microfiche) and `Worked bone object' (34) by Elaine L Morris; `Human bone' (34) by Jacqueline I McKinley; `Faunal remains' (34--5, microfiche) by Janet Egerton & Clive Gamble; and `Plant remains' (35--45) by A J Clapham. Finally, `Discussion' (45--51) is by R M J Cleal.`An analysis of worked flint artefact concentrations from Maidenhead Thicket, Maidenhead' (52--64) by W A Boismier presents three groups of Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age flintwork. Two were remains of quarry or extraction sites, the third probably of a residential site. Spatial analysis identified significant artefact class associations and intra-site activity areas for the three concentrations.`An Early Iron Age settlement at Dunston Park, Thatcham' (65--92) is by A P Fitzpatrick, I Barnes & R M J Cleal. An unenclosed settlement of seventh-century BC date contained a roundhouse within which the distribution of finds was clearly restricted to one side; cereals and querns, crucible, spindle-whorl, flint and pottery suggest activities undertaken. Ironsmithing debris from a pit group at Cooper's Farm nearby provides some of the earliest well-dated evidence for ironworking in the region. Evidence for Bronze Age and Romano-British activity, and a medieval field system, was also recovered. Specialist reports on finds are: `Metalworking debris' (76), `Burnt flint' (77) and `Fired clay' (84) by L N Mepham; `Worked flint' (76--7) by F Healy & P A Harding; `Worked stone' (77) by Elaine L Morris; `Pottery' (77--84) by Elaine L Morris & L N Mepham; and `Plant remains' (84--5) by A J Clapham. `Discussion' (85--9) is by A P Fitzpatrick. `Appendix: an Early Iron Age (7th century ~BC) pit with ironworking debris from Cooper's Farm, Dunston Park' (89--92) by A P Fitzpatrick includes `Fieldwork' (89) by I Barnes & A P Fitzpatrick, `Metallurgical debris' (89--91) by Peter Crew, and `Pottery' (91--2) by Elaine L Morris.`Excavations at Park Farm, Binfield, Berkshire, 1990: an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement and two Mesolithic flint scatters' (93--132) is by M R Roberts. A small rural settlement was occupied from perhaps the first century BC to the second century AD and consisted of a nucleus of houses surrounded, and eventually enclosed, by two areas of enclosures. It is unusual in being located on London Clay, in the frequency of loomweights among the finds and in the quantity of charcoal recovered. Specialist reports on the finds are: `Iron Age and Romano-British pottery' (106--17, microfiche) by Paul Booth, `Fired clay' (117--18) by M R Roberts, and `Carbonised plant remains' (118--19) by Mark Robinson. `Appendix: the Mesolithic flint scatters' (124--32) includes `Flint' (127--30) by Steve Ford and `Discussion' (130--2) by Steve Ford & M R Roberts. BOC |
